THE ECONOMICS OF PRODUCING MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN EGYPT

Abstract

Egypt is considered one of the oldest countries that knew agriculture worldwide from a long time ago, and it was famous for its cultivation of certain crops over a long period. Medicinal and aromatic crops are among the profitable crops for farms. They flourish in the new lands and can be a good solution to compensate for the costs of reclamation and this is reflected in The local production is lacking in meeting the needs of export and meeting the needs of local companies. Studying the current production situation of medicinal and aromatic plants. The area of medicinal and aromatic plants during the study period ranged between a minimum of about 45.60 thousand feddans in 2013 and a maximum of about 108.74 thousand feddans in 2019. With an annual average of about 80.64 thousand feddans during the period (2005-2020). The chamomile crop is the most important type of medicinal and aromatic plants cultivated in Egypt, as the average cultivated area reached about 14406.20 acres, which represents about 14.91% of the average area of medicinal and aromatic plants during the study period. The caraway crop comes in second place, with an average area of about 12,739.40 acres, representing about 13.18% of the average. In the third place comes the hibiscus crop, with an average of about 12562.60 acres, representing about 13.0% in relation to the average area of medicinal and aromatic plants. The study focused on the crops of green basil, hibiscus, mint, and elderberry, due to the availability of their data and their relative importance in production and export abroad. The research recommends creating Marketing opportunities for the production of medicinal plants